Shower and tub construction



March 7, 1950 E. D. NEELY SHOWER AND TUB CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

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March 7,1950 ED. NEELY 9 2,499,966

SHOWER AND TUB CONSTRUCTION Filed March 25, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m m u,

IN VEN TOR. ZSKEL D N554):

Patented Mar. 7, 1950 U N l TED S .TATES i iAT' EiN T OFFICE.

SHOWER AND TUB CQNSTRUCTION l Eskel D.'.Neely, New Albany, Ind.

Application March 23, 1946, Serial NoS-65.6',54'6- -2 2 Claims.

This invention relates. to a bathtub. and: shower construction.

Thechief object or thisinvention is to. provide a structure of aforesaid character which issubstantially devoidtof anytub-exposed projections insofar as thetub interior is concerned and which is of the spray type so that the person. sit--- ting in the tub may have shower use thereof, which is particularly advantageous for invalids and the like,- and which construction is'further arranged so that'the -tub is of self-rinsing character.

Another chief object of the invention is to-providea tub which may be readily fabricated of metal stampings' and hence is comparatively light in weight, as opposed to conventional cast iron.

Another chief object of the invention is toprovide an outlet or drain whereby the tub contents may be emptied in a minimum of time, the drainage velocity resulting in the carrying away of all impurities, so that no grime or sediment will collect on tlxesides orthe'bottom of the tub;

One feature of theinvention; inaddition to the construction of the tub whereby'the aforesaidobjectives' are accomplished,- resides in the inclusionof an overheadshowercontrol with an overhead shower.

Another feature of the invention residesin theporcelain or enamel coating of the sheet metal parts, insofar as their exposedsurfaces are concerned, so that the appearance ofa porcelain lined castiron tub is retained.

Still a further feature of the invention resides in the tubs side-wall shower arrangement, which is also used for tub filling, beingsemi-concealed.

Thus the occupant is protected from contact therewith and from possible burns.

Other objects and featuresof theinvention will be set. forth more fully hereinafter.

The full natureof the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the 1 following description and claims:

In the drawings Fig. 1 isa central sectional view. through one-embodiment oi the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the valve controlfor the system shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a topplan view of the, overflow and foot end of the tub.

Figl-l is-an enlarged transverse sectional. view of the tub included spray supply line and the i interior, exteriorand top wallsof the tub.

Fig. 75 is an enlargedxcentral sectional view of the stub overflow structure;

a discharge line. 211. controlled-.byvalve .21.: and: said line zu near. the tOpxtDf 13h'e.tl1hl isdirected.

toward .the same as .at .22; see Fig. 1,. andithereconnects to.thex.peripherala'conduit 23, the same-at; suitably spaced intervals-having..downwardlyrandt inwardly directed discharging; ports see: Figmi.

When the. tub is to-be filled. 'the. valve it isl closed and. valve -2 Ir is openeduand then th8i.tWO-" supply valves andcw are openedtothe desired" degrees.- If the tub is to be usedwasra shower: tub 'no. other control is required.

When tub sprayingisnot desired valve-=2]? is. closed-and valve-l 82 opened; withv valves l2 and. Bi

opened to the desired degrees so thatthelproperly:

tempered waterris discharged fromshower. head IS; The amount of water, however, maybe regur latedby valvelB just. asith'e amountoritub spray:

may be regulated by valve 2|.

Reference. :will- .now be==had more? particularly to Figs. 1,3 and-4.: In-'Fig;..1 theoverflow is indi--.\ cated :by-the: numeral 4'1:- andthe inside.side-vv wall-.by,;the"numeral 2t; AllezOf the aforesaid;- piping, except the valves and'shovver; head, is concealed byuthe' latterr The" pipe 22. .extends through thewall.

Herein .the; tub properrcomprisesra porcelain; or; enamel or. other: suitably zcoated' sheetpmetalcs bottom 25.with. upwardly and outwardly directed;

, interior side-walls. 26: which adjacent theeupper end: are offset outwardly as at Hand upwardly as: The.

at 2.8; terminating in; anmupper' ledge- 28; bottom. of the'tubris suitably supported upon the floor byithe members. whichware welded-to the;

bottom. and adjacent :sides and-vexteriorlythere sto, as shown in Figcl.

It will be obvious that this sheet metal tub:.:

interior is rigidly supported and, consequently, does-not bulge loca1ly; etc

Surrounding the: stubon two,-.three=or fOlllix' sides isaan .exterionwall '31. and, the lower-redgethereof bears on-zthei floor andath'e: upper edge:

32': thereof. :iSi substantiallyljacoplanar :with .'the..

upper edge ofcthe offset portion :29:

At suitable intervals: between :portion" 28 and.

exterior wall 33 I there are provided. certain; bridg 3 ing ties 33. Thus the upper end of the tub is definitely located with respect to the exterior wall of the tub.

A top canopy 34 is provided and the same may be suitably secured to the tops of the inner and outer walls in any desired manner. It is provided with a depending lip, flange or skirt 35, which preferably is substantially thickened as shown and which may be thickened by reversely bending the sheet metal as indicated at 36. All exterior surfaces of the canopy, the inner wall structure and the outer wall structure may be suitably coated as previously set forth.

It will be noted that the lower end of the skirt 35, as indicated at 31, terminates short of the junction 33 of the inner wall 26 with its lateral offset portion 21 thereby forming a throat 39 between the skirt and the inner wall.

Nested in this annular channel 16 formed between the inner wall and the skirt is a peripherally coincident tubing 23 which, adjacent supply line 22, is closed by means of a T 42 to the mid-portion of which issuitably connected to the line 22. Herein means for securing this connection is illustrated, see Fig. 4, as comprising a U-shaped retainer 43 with a stem portion 44 that is suitably anchored as at 45 to the upwardly directed offset portion 28 of the inner wall 26.

The tubing and strap structure last mentioned may be suitably coated or be of ornamental metal such as Monel metal and the like. At the desired spacing or intervals the tube or conduit 23 is apertured as at 46 and herein the same is directed about 45 from the horizontal so that the stream discharging from the tubing is discharged inwardly and downwardly. Wherefore, in view of the fact that the tubing is at an elevation, see Fig. 1, slightly greater than half the width of the tub, the inwardly directed periph erally discharging streams will spray the occupant in the tub and, naturally, will spray the remote half of the tub when the tub is not occupied and when full pressure is applied to the conduit means aforesaid.

Obviously, when lesser pressure is applied, the inner side-wall adjacent the tubing will be rinsed by the discharging water from the spray ports.

In Figs. 1, 3 and 6 the drain structure is illustrated and in Figs. 1 and the overflow structure is illustrated. In the last two mentioned figures it will be noted that the overflow includes a pipe 41. By way of example only, this pipe is of a size substantially twice that of the pressure supply pipes and the spray tubing. The inner wall 26 is apertured as at 48. The threaded end of the conduit 47, which is the overflow pipe, is

provided with a seal 49 and a locknut 56.

A perforated cap 5|, partially spherical in form, includes ports 52 and includes an inwardly directed plate portion 53 with an aperture therein defined by a collar or tube portion 54 which is threaded for threaded engagement with the threaded tub exposed end of the overflow pipe. This overflow intake fixture or cap serves as a nut.

The overflow pipe 41 connects to an elbow 55 in turn connected to a' gravity wasting line 56 which terminates in a slidably associated nipple 51 carried by the drain chamber structure 58, see more particularly Figs. 1 and 6. This nipple is threaded at 59.and a cap 66, together with packing 6|, forms a leakproof connection and retainer for the lower end of the overflow pipe 56.

The drain or sump chamber 58 includes the side-walls 62, the bottom wall 63 and a top 64, which is directed inwardly as at 65 and outwardly as at 66. Suitably secured to the exterior of the bottom 25 of the tub by welding or the like are the studs 61 and interposed between the top 64 of the sump or drain chamber 58 is a gasket 68. Nuts 69 on studs 61 retain this chamber in leak-proof relation to the tub bottom.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the side-wall 62 of this chamber is apertured at 16 and this constitutes an intake opening to the chamber through which the overflow pipe 56 discharges to the chamber. The top 64 of the chamber, and more particularly the inwardly directed flange 65 thereof, includes an opening 7|, said opening having an area appreciably greater than the area of the overflow opening beiore mentioned. This opening H has a tapered mouth 12 and a stopper (3, complementarily tapered as at 74, is arranged to close that opening 1i. This stopper may be of any desired construction but must be at least of sufiicient rigidity so that the weight of the water in the tub when full will not force the stopper through the opening and such stopper may be metal re-enforced or may be of metal.

In the bottom 63 of the drain or sump chamber is an opening 15 and this opening is approximately of the same area as the opening I I. Since most waste lines or risers are or cast iron and bell and spigot type, the opening 15 is defined by a pipe 16 that can be accommodated by the bell portion of such a four-inch cast iron soil pipe. Of course, a leaded connection common to plumbing practice would be provided therebetween. As a result of this type of waste or drain, when the plug 13 is removed from opening H the tub contents discharge at a rate three or four times that at which a conventional tub discharges, since such discharges usually are but of one and onehalf to two inch diameter opening type.

To prevent loss of articles which may accidentally pass through the opening H, there is provided a metal, perforated, strainer plate '11 having perforations 18 therein and the edges of that plate are peripherally supported by shoulder 19 formed in the side-wall 62 of the drain chamber. This plate is positioned at a level below the overflow intake opening connection as shown in Figs. 1 and 6.

The discharge capacity of this drain system, accordingly, is such that, notwithstanding full pressure supply by the overhead shower or the tub shower or both, the water can freely waste from the tub, which is not now possible in standard overhead shower applications to a standard tub.

If the tub has been filled and used, removal of the plug 13 results in such a large discharge velocity that scum, sediment, etc., can not deposit on the sides and bottom of the tub but are sucked therefrom and the tub spray, as previously described, can be used for the final rinsing of the tub.

As shown clearly in Fig. 4, the occupant is prevented from directly contacting the spray tubing 23 so that even if all hot water is supplied to this tubing, and thesame becomes heated to the temperature of that water, the occupant will not be burned because the occupant can not contact the tubing.

Furthermore, it will be noted that there are no obstructions on the interior wall of the tub, such as a spout or control valves. It will also be noted that the resulting high velocity discharge of the tub contents reduces the possibility of clogging the drain to a minimum. Furthermore, the large drain outlet in the bottom of the tub provides that the interior of the drain chamber can be readily cleaned from the opening H.

Whenever desired or required the exterior wall of the tub and the canopy may have applied thereto, or to the junctions thereof, suitable ornamental trim, which has heretofore been impossible of application with cast iron porcelain tubs.

It will also be apparent that, if desired, the exterior wall of the tub may have secured to it the bottom and side supports '30 as well as the upper side braces 33 so that the inner wall of the tub may be said to be cradled by the outer wall of the tub. Obviously, the resulting construction, either as herein illustrated or as last mentioned, permits the tub to be fabricated in three comparatively light weight parts, the inner wall structure, the outer wall structure and the canopy structure. Also,'in view of the formation of the canopy with its depending skirt, it can be set upon the two coplanar peripheral edges 32 and 29 and, if desired, friction spring lock fixtures may be carried by the wall portion 28 or by the inside of the skirt 35 and cooperate with seats formed in the other of the two members adjacent thereto, so that upon canopy application and pressure seating a locking can be efiected. Herein, see Fig. 4, the cross brace 33 carries angle bracket member with threaded sockets 88 which can be welded thereto and screw bolts, etc., 8| secure the top or canopy structure to the tub sides and thus detachably and semi-rigidly secure these three light weight parts in rigid association to provide a tub structure having all the advantages of a cast iron porcelain tub without any of its disadvantages.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein, as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a bath tub structure the combination of an inner tub forming wall of one piece having at one end an opening for overflow purposes and disposed near but spaced from the top edge and 6 a bottom drain opening, the upper portion of the inner wall being offset outwardly above the level of the first opening and thence directed upwardly, an outer wall disposed in spaced relation to the inner wall and having a top edge, an inverted channel-sectioned top bearing upon the top edges of both walls, spacing means disposed between the two walls and depending from said top, the latter having a depending flange disposed exteriorly of the outer wall and engaging same and a second depending flange of a depth approximately that of the said upwardly directed portion of the inner wall and terminating at the lower edge in spaced relation to the said outwardly directed portion of the inner wall to form a throat for the resulting channel between the inner flange of the top and the inner wall of the tub, conduit means disposed in said channel and adjacent the throat thereof and coextensive with the channel, and means securing said conduit means to the upwardly directed portion of the inner wall, said conduit means having longitudinally spaced downwardly and inwardly directed ports therein arranged for directional discharge of sprays through the throat.

2. A tub structure as defined by claim 1 wherein the lower end of the top inner flange is directed outwardly and upwardly for curved edge forma tion.

ESKEL D. NEELY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 263,592 Rosenfield Aug. 29, 1882 310,344 Waterworth 'Jan. 6, 1885 578,264 Reinhardt Mar. 2, 1897 886,888 Stewart May 5, 1908 1,018,021 Willetts Feb. 20, 1912 1,438,373 Gould Dec. 12, 1922 1,563,783 Paul Dec. 1, 1925 1,994,789 Redmond et a1. Mar. 19, 1935 2,122,247 Coordes June 28, 1938 2,166,469 Houston July 18, 1939 2,346,942 Rodman Apr. 18, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 9,644 Great Britain May 6, 1896 779,757 France Apr. 12, 1935 

